This is the day to be a tourist and get the lay of the land. I normally first take the city tour in any new city, but the time is compressed, so I have to do my own. I take a hotel shuttle to the three destinations it offers. The beach, the mall, and the modern Souk (bazaar).
The Jumeira Beach Park
For 5 Dhs. (less than $1.50) you get access to crystal clear, white sand beach. The beach is very well maintained and quite busy. There are fast food restaurants and a small shop to accommodate your beach essentials including your favorite ice cold drinks. To my surprise I hear a lot of people speaking Farsi. Which reminds me that Persian new year was just last week and they are here on holidays.
I decided not to wait for the shuttle and took the taxi to the mall. Toyota Camry seems to be a popular taxi cab around here. The cost is reasonable and the air conditioners are a must!Mall of the Emirates
This mall reminds me of the Dallas Galeria Mall and then some. The stock photo below from the website best shows how the mall is attached to the "L" shaped indoor ski slope. The only one indoor ski slope in the world. More on that later.
Source: http://www.skidxb.com/English/facts_eng.htm?mid=1&sid=2
Driving back from the Mall to the hotel you realize the amount of construction going on around the city. It is mega construction on steroids. Tower cranes in 100s is no exaggeration. Apparently the mall above is not big enough and they are working on a new "Dubai Mall" where at the center of the mall sits Burj Dubai, the tallest man made structure in the world.
Source:http://www.dubaicityguide.comHere are more construction sites along the way back to the hotel:
And in case you are interested, here is a real estate ad for the Burj Dubai. One bedroom 741 sqft, real cheap ;-)
Now, here is the big picture of what they are developing in Dubai. The islands are developed by filling and piling rocks in the Persian Gulf to construct man-made islands such as the Palm Island resort and the World Islands.
I went back to the hotel and setup Internet in my room (wired) at the cost of 24 Dhs. per night. I answered some email and decided to upload the pictures to my blog. Normally that is not an issue, unless there is a language barrier.
Souk Madinat, Jumeirah
After a short nap, I took the shuttle to the Souk. Traditionally, souks are the hub of trade, but this one is a modern design capturing the feel of the old.
and walkin gfurther around the Palace hotel from the beach there is the incredible view of the Burj Al Arab, acknowledged as the best hotel in the world. Of course if you wish to visit you would have to spend minimum $1,000 per night , or drop by to have a cup of cofee for $50, but you better have prior reservations weeks in advance, because we could not even get in. check out this month's specials;-)
Final thought of the day
I returned back to the hotel, crawled in bed exhausted; my mind was racing and I could not sleep. It is amazing how far this country has come in such a short period of time!! First thought might be, "Well, they have oil", but so do many other nations in the region. Later on I learned that only 10% of their income is generated from oil. Another interesting fact is that only 10% of the population is made of natives. The rest are expatriates from around the world. Corporations and finance is what makes things happen around here, such as Halliburton that just moved their headquarters to this area. While corporations save on taxes, locals benefit from the wealth at hand and finance what might attractive to people and the region. People get excited and come to visit this destination and the circle repeats itself.
While New York moves about its normal fast pace, Hamburg considers building a harbor to attract new businesses, but Dubai is moving at the speed of sound.
And in case you are interested, here is a real estate ad for the Burj Dubai. One bedroom 741 sqft, real cheap ;-)
Now, here is the big picture of what they are developing in Dubai. The islands are developed by filling and piling rocks in the Persian Gulf to construct man-made islands such as the Palm Island resort and the World Islands.
I went back to the hotel and setup Internet in my room (wired) at the cost of 24 Dhs. per night. I answered some email and decided to upload the pictures to my blog. Normally that is not an issue, unless there is a language barrier.Souk Madinat, Jumeirah
After a short nap, I took the shuttle to the Souk. Traditionally, souks are the hub of trade, but this one is a modern design capturing the feel of the old.
and walkin gfurther around the Palace hotel from the beach there is the incredible view of the Burj Al Arab, acknowledged as the best hotel in the world. Of course if you wish to visit you would have to spend minimum $1,000 per night , or drop by to have a cup of cofee for $50, but you better have prior reservations weeks in advance, because we could not even get in. check out this month's specials;-)
Final thought of the day
I returned back to the hotel, crawled in bed exhausted; my mind was racing and I could not sleep. It is amazing how far this country has come in such a short period of time!! First thought might be, "Well, they have oil", but so do many other nations in the region. Later on I learned that only 10% of their income is generated from oil. Another interesting fact is that only 10% of the population is made of natives. The rest are expatriates from around the world. Corporations and finance is what makes things happen around here, such as Halliburton that just moved their headquarters to this area. While corporations save on taxes, locals benefit from the wealth at hand and finance what might attractive to people and the region. People get excited and come to visit this destination and the circle repeats itself.
While New York moves about its normal fast pace, Hamburg considers building a harbor to attract new businesses, but Dubai is moving at the speed of sound.
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