Dubai – a Middle-eastern Fantasy Metropolis
With the introduction of Emirates airlines in 1985, Dubai quickly hit the world map. Offering stopovers to this unusual and not oft travelled destination by the western world. A ingenious plan to bring tourism to this amazing place, quickly reaped fruitage with increased visitors. And it kept pace, delivering a marvelous array of never before seen sites, sparking viral marketing, and suddenly strong demand. Whether it be Real Estate, Jobs, or Tourism, it’s all happening here.
In just a few short years, Dubai has gone from predominantly dusty desert plains, to a metropolis scarcely able to grow quickly enough. It seems every which way you look there’s a building under construction, and it’s bigger, taller and more fantastic than the last.
Travellers come to Dubai for many different reasons, but usually one thing is always evident for the first-time visitor.. Awe.
There are so many different things to see and do, that you will find it difficult to decide how to spend your time. Whether you’re travelling with Children may have some impact to the sites you see, but then again Dubai’s fantasy land appeal, seems to bring out the child in all. Within the Emirates Towers in-door ski slope – Ski Dubai, it’s not unusual to see grown men & women in traditional dress whirling down the slopes on an inflated donut. Skiing in Dubai, whilst restaurant patrons look on, and it’s a sweltering 45 degrees outside, somehow doesn’t seem strange here. It’s just a little bit like never never land, where anything is possible, and nothing surprises you.
Soon to launch in fantasy style is it’s own Dubai land, a plethora of sights, rides & entertainment covering 3 Billion square feet. Within the complex, and opening in 2010 is Universal Studios Dubailand. If you’ve been looking for fantasy land, you’ll find it here.
One of the ever popular sites to see in Dubai is the Burj Al Arab hotel, the worlds only self-acclaimed 6 star hotel. Whilst a stay there is suitably impressive, with personal butlers & reception for each floor, wine, fruit, sweets & dates galore delivered complimentary, along with a gift Hermes fragrance, beach bag, and other glamorous goodies, it does scream of ostentatiousness. A feeling not all are comfortable with, nor the departing bill if you decide to eat in one of the unique restaurants. We dined in the under-water level restaurant Al Mahara with simulated lift submergence. A circular designed restaurant curving around a giant aquarium. If your pocket can handle it, you will find some of the oldest and most unique wines & liquors in the world housed here.
A stay at the Burj will entitle you to you to a complimentary pass of the Wild Wadi Water park, located nearby.
On each day of our Dubai visit, we found the view from the Burj somewhat unclear, with much desert & construction dust in the air, you may find these structures of grandeur from the inside out, may not be as impressive to view from, as they are to look at from afar. Nevertheless, it’s an amazing building, steeped in interesting facts & stories. Such as the centre spire originally built to add height to claim the worlds tallest hotel at it’s birth, falling to the lobby just post-construction. Fact or fiction only the constructors will know.
We also had the pleasure of staying at one of Jumeirah’s fine related resort complexes, the Madinat Jumeirah Al Qsar, a gorgeous resort located on a man-made creek which comes alive with Abra’s floating down each picturesque, date palm lined waterway. The creek is lined with literally dozens of dining options, open to guests and the public, from cafes to fine dining & bars. A wonderful place to relax and thoroughly enjoy a most enjoyable middle-eastern experience, albeit somewhat simulated. It’s pure joy to the senses, the romance of the middle east is well represented here. We found ourselves revolving back time and time again to the Moroccan restaurant for the delectable food. And one of the near by roof-top bars. A drink at Sunset from here, with the Burj Al Arab on the horizon is simply picture perfect. The Abra’s are complimentary for guests of any one of the 3 resorts within Madinat Jumeirah, and are a wonderful addition if not a little touristy, you’ll still love it.
There is so much more to say about Dubai, but the list is endless. Most visitors here will go and enjoy at least a few tourist sights, it’s really inevitable, and most are worth it. Desert Safari’s are on the list of most visitors, and a good way to consume some expected Arabian sites, such as Camels, traditional music & food. The Gold Souk is obviously worth a look, but interestingly we found it wasn’t as in-expensive as hoped. The diamonds on the other hand were very cheap, and our best buying was done at the Gold & Diamond park on Sheikh Zayed Road. The Spice Souk in Deira was also smaller and less appealing than some guides made out, however if you’re in the market for a Pashmina or wool shawl these areas of Deira offer the cheapest buys around. Expect to pay around AU$2 for a basic pashmina, or around $10 for the better quality ones. Get used to the currency, and bargain away.
In terms of general shopping, of which there’s alot. Emirates Towers offer many of the same stores you might find elsewhere. But it’s a delicious haven for a few hours to spend in the cool, check out Ski-Dubai and have a wine, and generally get a vibe for the current in Dubai.
A few facts..When travelling to Dubai, like any predominantly Muslim Country you should respect and observe the customs. Morality is high here, so modest dress is fairly important. They are used to visitors here, so you get some leniency, however if you wear a short skirt, kiss in public or swear, you’re likely to meet with strong disapproval. Many guide books will recommend a visit to Sharjah, one of Dubai’s neighbouring cities. Whilst is does offer the no-frills, real UAE experience, we personally found it uncomfortable, and had no real sites of interest that couldn’t be found in Dubai. Be warned, we were advised by our driver, that a couple had recently been imprisoned here for 1 year each, just for kissing in the back of a taxi. You’ll find parts of the UAE raw on the senses, and this may not be the experience you’re looking for.
Lastly, if you’re planning a visit to Dubai or haven’t had the chance to see a great deal there. Do some homework and choose how you’d like to spend your time. Somehow here, time seems to fly by, and you may end up doing nothing at all, but just eating, drinking and watching the sunset. This of course is also a great thing to do, and in spite of all it’s great fantasy attractions, you may prefer to just enjoy it’s contrasts of old cultures mixed with the dizzying heights of fantastic new developments, and let Dubai take you wherever it likes.
