Tuesday, August 3, 2010

Dubai-UAE

Glitzy, glam, over-the-top and a little overexposed.With myriad shopping malls, flamboyant hotels, a dizzying array of dining options and hip clubs and bars, Dubai is a fascinating experiment and a city-state that’s like no other.

My Husband was on a business trip to dubai for 15 days ,so i decided to join him for the last 10 days.I was quite excited about this trip,since i had heard so much about it...specially was looking forward to the shopping ;-) . So on the 22nd April 2010 afternoon, i boarded the Air India flight to Dubai. The journey was pleasent took about 3 hours .Royden could'nt pick me up since he was in a meeting. I had a driver waiting for me outside the international airport terminal with my name...who finally took me to the hotel..We were staying at the Deira Sheraton Hotel.It  was a 20 minute drive to the hotel.

The first thing i noticed  on the drive to the hotel was the impressive skyline ...all tall buildings and lots and lots of shops...luxious cars (BMWs,Mercedes,Pajero,LandCruise..u name it)...very few people were walking on the streets..i could see indians everywhere, including my driver n suddenly felt at home in this strange city, thanks to significant Indian population. I could sense that belongingness in the air, in a way it was like being at  home away from home.

Once at the hotel,was greeted by my husband...rested for some time,had bath and than we went out for dinner.Don't remember exactly what we had, but the food was delicious!!


 23 April-The Mall of Emirates and Ski Dubai

 The next day (23 April) being a friday my hubby had a day off (friday,saturdays  is the weekly off  in Arab countries), so after a sumptous breakfast at the hotel,we decided to go to the Emirates Mall,one of the largest shopping malls in the world.So we hailed a taxi from the hotel to Al Barsha District,where the mall is located.Being a holiday,the traffic was crazy...huge traffic jams and it took about 30 minutes to reach the mall.Once at the mall we were glad to be out of the scorching heat and the cool AC in d malls was definately a relief.

The main reason for coming to this mall was 'Ski Dubai' -the first indoor ski resort in the middle East.What an amazing idea..'snow in the desert' and we definately wanted to see this and enjoy the snow(although we both had enough snow in d UK and than in azerbaijan),but still i wanted to go to this place...specially since this place made for some interesting pictures( had done my homework before:))

We took a  pass  which included winter clothing,ski and snowboard equipment,skies,poles,boots and snowboards.We were given a locker  and a key each where we could keep our unwanted things..like bags n shoes, hats etc. The full day pass gave us an option that we could enter the ski dubai till 12pm .
It  was almost 12.00 by now and Royden was feeling hungry,so we decided to go to the St Moritz Cafe overlooking the Ski Dubai Resort.We had some delicious chicken wings and Mango milkshakes. From where we were sitting we could see families enjoying toboggan runs,mirror maze and snowballs fights or just posing for some pictures . But could see the smile on everyones face and knew that everyone was having a ball of a time and we could'nt wait  and  to explore the  Ski Dubai.



Moments after changing to our winter clothes we entered the Ski Dubai World..The first section was the Ice Palace,where in there were structures make of Ice and the entire area was very slippery and made us feel like we were in a Glacier Cave.Then we sat on a Quad Lift that took up the 85m high indoor mountain with steep slopes. It was like sitting on a giant wheel,since both of us had never sat on this..we were a bit apprehensive first, but as we went higher and higher started to enjoy d ride.Below us on the mountain we could see skiers and snowboarders.It was a 20 minute ride and we really really enjoyed this ride and decided to do it again and it was fun! It was the most enjoyable thing that we did on this trip.





We than  went to the mirror maze,snowman making area,climbed the towers and clicked some amazing pictures.It was almost 3.30pm when we finally come out of d ski world and had the most amazing time of my life ...



 We had some light lunch,explored the mall...did some shopping and it was almost 10pm by the time we reached back to the hotel.After the days exhaustion we both had a lovely sleep.




24 April- Dubai Mall,Aquarium and Underwater Zoo

 The next day ie(24th April) being a saturday was again an off for Royden,so today we deceided to go to theDubai Aquarium and Underwater Zoo {This was my 2nd visit to an aquarium( 1st being in lisbon)} which was housed in the Dubai Mall ,  the largest mall in the world and  is part of the 20-billion-dollar Burj Khalifa complex, and includes 1,200 shops.




The ten million liter aquarium tank is the largest suspended aquarium in the world and holds the guiness world record for the 'Largest Acrylic Panel'.The Aquarium has more than 33,000 living animals including 400 sharks and rays combined. The Aquariums 270 degree acryllic walkway tunnel makes  for incredible close encounter experiences with some of the most fascinating underwater animals on the planet.A special 'lunar -cyclic ' lighting system will change the ambience of the tank depending on the time of the day.



Underwater Zoo -A walk through the rainforest,rocky shores and living ocean environments brought us face to face with dangerous piranhas( known for their sharp teeth n voracious apetite for meat and can dilacerate a human body in seconds...we were warned not to put our hands inside the tanks),giant catfish,playful oteers ,harbour seals and a Humbolt Penguin Colony.


Whether viewing the rainforest from a suspension bridge high above the river and tree canopy ,or reaching out and touching some of the hardy rock pool inhabitants,this is an aquatic experience you will never forget.

We than took the Glass Bottom Boat Ride that took us across the surface of the aquariums 10 million litre tank,offering incredible views of the aquatic animals below  including sharks,rays and giant groupers which was truly memorable .Scary to think what would happen if the boat had an accident:-) specially with sharks n piranhas below us.



By the time we finished with the underwater experience,it was almost 3.00pm. We had some delicious arabic lunch and began to explore the Dubai Mall and also indulge in a little bit of shopping;-) We spent the next 3 hours in the mall .In between shopping we took a doughnut and coffee break and than headed back to the hotel.


From the hotel we went for the  1st Holy communion party  of a friend and from there we had a dinner date with my cousins.It was a lovely evening/night and having freinds and family always makes it special. Than my cousins dropped us back to the hotel and by the time we hit  the bed it was almost 2am.

25 April-Downtown Dubai and Burj Khalifa

The next Day ie (25 april) i slept like a log in the morning ..did'nt even know when royden left for work( his conference was in the same hotel 3rd floor)..and was awakened by my moms call in the morning about 9.00am.Then i got dressed and went down for breakfast.After breakfast since i was alone i explored some nearby places and malls.
In the evening after Royden was back,we took a taxi and went to Burj Khalifa,were we had a prior booking  on the outdoor observation desk named at At The Top Burj Khalifa.Its better to book in advance else you have to pay more and there is a huge queue.The Tickets are sold inside the Dubai Mall.



Burj Khalifa known as Burj Dubai prior to its inauguration, is a skyscraper and the tallest man-made structure ever built, at 828 m (2,717 ft). Construction began on 21 September 2004, with the exterior of the structure completed on 1 October 2009. The building officially opened on 4 January 2010, and is part of the new 2 km2 (490-acre) flagship development called Downtown Dubai at the 'First Interchange' along Sheikh Zayed Road, near Dubai's main business district.


Current records

  • Tallest skyscraper to top of spire: 828 m (2,717 ft)
  • Tallest structure ever built: 828 m (2,717 ft)
  • Tallest extant structure: 828 m (2,717 ft) )
  • Tallest freestanding structure: 828 m (2,717 ft)
  • Building with most floors: 160
  • Building with highest occupied floor in the world: 160th floor
  • World's highest elevator installation, situated inside a rod at the very top of the building
  • World's fastest elevators at speed of 64 km/h (40 mph) or 18 m/s (59 ft/s)
  • Highest vertical concrete pumping (for a building): 606 m (1,988 ft)
  • Highest vertical concrete pumping (for any construction): 606 m (1,988 ft)
  • The first world's tallest structure in history to include residential space
  • Highest outdoor observation deck in the world (124th floor) at 442 m (1,450 ft)
  • World's highest mosque (located on the 158th floor)
  • World's highest installation of an aluminium and glass façade, at a height of 512 m (1,680 ft)
  • World's highest swimming pool (76th floor)
Observation Desk
An outdoor observation deck, named At the Top, opened on 5 January 2010 on the 124th floor. It is the third highest observation deck in the world and the highest outdoor observation deck in the world, at 442 m (1,450 ft).
A high speed elevator took us from the ground floor to the 124th floor in a fraction of a second to the world's highest public outdoor observation terrace overlooking the ever growing skyline of Sheikh Zayed Road and sorrounding panorama . The sweeping 360 degree  views from the observatory offers unparalled vistas from the Gulf Coast to the Arabian Desert and beyond through high powered telescopes.The whole experience of gazing over Dubai,like you have never seen it  was simply breathtaking!



After the breathtaking views fom Burj Khalifa,we strolled around Downtown Dubai,posed for snaps outside the Burj Khalifa and The Address hotel ( a chic and elegant 5 star hotel) overlooking Burj Khalifa  and the Dubai Mall.

The Dubai Fountain 
The Dubai Fountain is a record-setting choreographed fountain system set on the 30- acre man-made Burj Khalifa Lake, at the center of the Downtown Dubai development in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. It was designed by WET Design, the California-based company responsible for the fountains at the Bellagio Hotel Lake in Las Vegas. Illuminated by 6,600 lights and 25 colored projectors, it is 275 m (902 ft) long and shoots water 150 m (490 ft) into the air, accompanied by a range of classical to contemporary Arabic and world music. It was built at a cost of AED 800 million (USD 218 million).The Fountains can reach a height of 275 m (902.2 ft).







The Dubai Fountain can spray 22,000 gallons (83,000 liters) of water in the air at any moment. More than 6,600 lights and 25 colour projectors have been installed. The Dubai Fountains project water in the air in many different combinations and patterns. The beam of light from the fountain can be seen from over 20 miles away.
The fountain is animated with performances set to light and music. It is visible from every point on the lake promenade and from many neighboring structures. Performances take place every 20 minutes from 6 pm to 10 pm on weekdays, and from 6 pm to 11 pm on weekends.
Performance repertoire includes "Sama Dubai", a tribute to Dubai's ruler Sheikh Mohammed, which is usually the first show of the day; "Baba Yetu", an award-winning song in Swahili; the Arab world’s top-selling dance number "Shik Shak Shok"; an Emirati song written especially for the inauguration of the Burj Khalifa on 04 January 2010. "and many others.
The Musical fountain was the most spectacular fountain i have ever seen and the ways it sways to the rythum of the music makes one to feel like a beautiful lady is dancing:)

Burj khalifa Park

The park has six water features, gardens, palm lined walkways, and flowering trees. At the centre of the park and the base of Burj Khalifa is the water room, which is a series of pools and water jet fountains. In addition the railing, benches and signs incorporate images of Burj Khalifa and the Hymenocallis flower.




It was very relaxing just sitting on the benches,watching people of different nationalities strolling,clicking pictures ,eating and just taking in the spectacular and magnificient views of Burj Khalifa,The Dubai fountain and The Address Hotel.



26 April- Deira City Centre  and Dhow Dinner Cruise

  Today after breakfast i was wondering how to pass my time ,since royden would be back only in the evening ie 4pm.,so i decided to explore another mall, since malls were the only place that provided solace from the scorching summer heat..so today 's mall was the Deira City centre mall, its the oldest mall in dubai Spend some 3 hours easily inside the mall and was back in the hotel  .

Dhow Dinner Cruise

Dubai makes a pretty picture from the sea.In the evenings the sight of the illuminated city is particularly beautiful.As we were walking,i casually suggested to royden' what could be more romantic than dinner abroad the dhow as it slips silently along the dubai creek by moonlight ' one look at me and he knew what i  wanted ;-) and there we were after checking out a couple of dhows cruising the creek for a romantic evening experience.




The cruise offered intriguingly different views of this amazing city- a potrait of the true character for dubai,the interwining of traditional and modern.  As you slowly cruise down the creek to the entrance of Arabian Gulf,you see fantastic skyscrappers of Deira,whilst you enjoy welcome cocktail  and the cool breeze across the sundeck.You pass the souk area ,the busy abra stations,the Dubai Heritage village before you take a turn and travel downstream while relishing the sumptous buffet dinner of continental cuisine.



 The hospitality of well dressed crew members who serve food with genuine warmth,the wide choices of international cuisine and a magician will leave you with unforgettable memories







To view the beautiful skyline of dubai from a unique and different perspective is an unforgettable experience initself!




27 April- Deira Gold souk and Bur Dubai

 Dubai also called the' City of Gold'. The souk is located in the heart of Deira. More than 300 jewellers are situated one after the other . Approximately 10 tonnes of gold is present at any given time in the souk.In the late afternoon and in the evening,the streets around the Gold Souk fill themselves with people  coming all over the world, a colorful variety of Indians,Arabs,Africans,Europeans and other nationalities.


The souk consists of a series of small shops all displaying and selling a variety of jaw dropping gold jewellery.

At the end of the souk, there are various shops selling fishing nets and stuff. We went to see some fishing nets,since my father -in-law wanted one..but could'nt find the specific one we were looking at.Walking further we reached the old trading port and we were captivated by the colour and bustle of the loading and unloading of dhows( wooden boats) to distant places like India and East Africa.
A stroll around the wharf offers picturesque glimpse of Dubai's trading heritage ,where dhows bound for distant places dock to unload their goods.


Dubai Creek is a salt water creek and divided into two main sections Deira and Bur Dubai.An attractive way to view the creek and the dhows is from an abra ,one of the small water taxis which criss-cross the creek from the souks of Deira to those on the Bur Dubai side,passing on the way many of the city's landmarks like the Deira Twin Towers,Dubai Creek Tower,Sheraton Dubai creek,National Bank and Chamber of Commerce.

It was a pleasent ride with the cool sea breeze hitting on your face as you enjoy the picturesque views. From there we went to the Meena Bazzar and i felt like i was just in India.Enjoyed some delicious samosas, Sev puri after a long long time. After strolling for a few hours we were back to the hotel.

28th April- Lamcy Plaza and Sharjah

 As usual since i was alone in the morning decided to go to Lamcy Plaza and do some window shopping and in the evening we went to visit my cousins in sharjah.


It was a lovely evening with family and some delicious homecooked food,what more could we ask for.,...and it was time to say adeus to this wonderful city.
Beyond the extravagnza the most appealing thing that i find about Dubai is the certain urge that it develops in people to achieve the unthinkable, there is something in the culture which motivates you to rise above the challenges.