Part Two

Dubai, UAE

We have flown through Dubai, only seeing the city from afar. There is so much that has happened here regarding development. There are countless tall buildings and the reclaiming of 26 square miles of ocean for luxurious areas. Of course, you must see the wealth and supercars everywhere. We were ready for a schedule filled with activities as it was a larger city with a large population.

FACTS ABOUT DUBAI

• Dubai is one of seven Emirates of the United Arab Emirates (UAE). UAE is the country, and Dubai is like a state inside the country.

• Dubai is the most populated of all the Emirates, with 3.5 million people, and the next largest Emirate is about half that amount.
• Dubai is also fascinating due to the number of native residents being 15% or about 525,000, almost double the population in Doha.
• The government is a constitutional monarchy; the same family has ruled since 1833.
• They have established representatives that citizens vote on. Dubai is run much like a state, and each state has a UAE representative. (This description isn’t exact, but hopefully, it gives you an idea of the difference between the Qatar Emir holding almost all the power.)
• The currency in Dubai is the UAE Dirham (AED), and the rate was the same as Qatar at .27 or 1 USD equals 3.67 AED. However, the economy is different here. Things are more expensive, like being in a major US city (NYC). One of the reasons we liked Doha was your money will go further there.
• The language is Arabic here, and they have a similar culture for attire for males and females, like Qatar. The attire rules are also written in law; however, in Dubai, there is no fear of wearing whatever you like, and no one will say anything. Proper attire DOES apply if you visit any religious sites. Be respectful if you want to see these, and bring something appropriate. They will turn you away in these areas.
• Transportation was easy. They have ride-share apps and taxi services. They also have a useful rail system if you stay close to a station.

Landing in Dubai, we immediately noticed that the airport was not as nice as Doha. It isn’t terrible, but there is a reason Hamad International has won the best airport nine times in a row. There seemed to be three times as many people in the arrivals area. Customs took a bit longer here as there were many people. There are no fees in Dubai for a visa for Americans. Another travel tip for you! Always research the country’s visa before you go. Sometimes, you must pay for your visa, which may be cash only on arrival, and there may be no ATMs. Once we retrieved the bag, we made our way to our ride.

We again scheduled a ride ahead of time. This one particularly paid off. It was chaotic in the lobby and roadside. I can imagine how long it took to get a cab or ride-share. Thankfully, we had a ride at the exit, as Dubai airport is very busy. The ride to the hotel was full of immediate information gathering. We instantly saw there were many more people and cars there. It was like being on I95 in South Florida. There is heavy traffic and so many buildings to look at. It was also nighttime, so we had a preview of the many famous buildings lit up, like the famous Burj Khalifa and Burj Al Arab. The skyline is impressive.

We stayed on the Palm Jumeirah, a reclaimed island. This island is the one that started all the reclamation, and it was so awesome to see it in person. A newer palm island is still being developed further to the west, Palm Jebel Ali. It is significant as these can be seen from space orbit, and Google views are excellent. There is a whole city on a manufactured island. Everything you need is on it, and it has a monorail system. Our hotel for this trip was the W. You must do so on a trip if you haven’t stayed in a W Hotel. They are excellent properties and have all the amenities you could want; however, they went in a new direction with the design. This one is very modern, with sculptures all around, and used in light fixtures. Even the wall is art with various windows and lights. The hallways were like a forest with downed trees as benches. The room was very modern and different as well. It is a change from staying in a standard hotel everyone has seen on their travels. And, of course, in Dubai fashion, four supercars are parked out front.

Day one for Dubai was me diving Deep Dive Dubai. For a diver, this is a place you must go if you are here. It is the largest and deepest indoor pool. The pool holds 3.7 million gallons of fresh water heated to 86 degrees Fahrenheit. They have multiple levels of a “Cityscape” and things to interact with. I played foosball and pool at 50ft. Cameras cover all areas underwater, and there are two safe areas or compartments underwater you can enter to rest or sort out any issues. They have communication, oxygen, and cameras inside the room. I did a one-on-one dive with a guy from Eastern Europe. I never noticed while diving, but after watching the video, music played underwater.

After a dive or swim, I get hungry. So, we headed to the area around the Burj Khalifa. There is a vast mall here and a more traditional souk. Of course, the incredible one hundred and sixty stories of the Burj Khalifa. Boardwalks and many shops surround a large area of water at the base of the building. This water contains fountains that perform a water show like the one at Bellagio in Las Vegas. We found some restaurants, and like other stops, there were many to choose from. We were ready to eat, so we found a favorite of mine, Nando’s. Yes, this is a bit corporate, but it is so good. And they have their local flavors and dishes. So, we again had a lot of hummus. They make it different here, and I know its basic form is only three ingredients. It was delicious, and the bread was soft and warm. We also sat on the outside patio overlooking the water and the Burj Khalifa.

We walked through the mall, and of course, it was lovely. High-end brands are everywhere you look. You can get lost in this mall; I believe it is the third-largest mall in the world. We had plans to go to the top of the Burj Khalifa the next day, so we headed to the hotel for some relaxation before dinner. We visited the pool to soak up the wonderful sun and breeze. They have an adult-only area, which is nice. We sat in the water and visited the swim-up bar for some not-too-expensive hotel drinks. They have some excellent specials and happy hours compared to most hotel prices.

Dinner was in the hotel at Torno Subito. The restaurant has one Michelin star, and the Chef is Massimo Bottura. He has a three-star restaurant in Italy and two other one-star restaurants in Los Angeles and Tokyo. This restaurant also fits the hotel’s style. The goal was for the 1960s Italian Riviera. 60’s colors of greens and yellows set the tone with strange angular art and furniture. They captured the mid-century modern look. The dinner was a paired menu, so you get everything on the menu. The food was good, but the portions here were small. We have now added another Michelin star, and it was a lovely evening.

Onto the other highlight of the trip, the Burj Khalifa. Being the tallest building in the world does so by quite a bit, beating the next highest by 150 meters. At 163 floors, it tops the next tallest by 35 floors. I watched documentaries on them building this, and seeing it up close was fantastic. Interestingly, they do not have traditional support drilled down to bedrock as there isn’t any. Friction piles support the entire building. Being from Oklahoma, they can’t keep a concrete slab from cracking, and they have 163 floors of buildings supported here by friction.

There are several versions of tours to buy, and we chose the full tour up to the top. The tour goes to observation decks on floors 124,125, and 148. They have some refreshments on 124, and you can walk 360 degrees. There is an outside area as well. The elevator was the fastest I have been in and was incredibly smooth. They project a video on the walls that shows you passing other historical buildings like the Eifel Tower and Taipei 101. After walking around 124 and 125, you take an elevator to 148. This area also has 360 degrees and an outdoor spot. It was night, so we saw the city lights and saw exactly how tall the building was. It towered above the 100-story buildings surrounding us. The tour is a bit costly at about $150. We didn’t mind because how often do you get to see this?

The next day, we took a short cruise. It lasted about 3 hours, and they served lunch on board. The area where the Burj Khalifa is has numerous tall buildings and quite the skyline. Further to the southwest, another area is as extensive and built up. Dubai Marina is in this other area. We boarded a 70-foot yacht, and they had maybe twenty people on board, so it was not overcrowded. We had full access to the entire boat minus the kitchen and another room used for storage. They cruise out of the marina surrounded by beautiful tall buildings and mega yachts.

 

We passed a newer area full of restaurants and attractions, including Ain Dubai. Not to be outdone, this is the tallest Ferris wheel in the world at 820 feet. The next tallest is in Las Vegas and is at 550 feet. The one we have in Singapore is third at 541. We ventured just offshore, passing many beautiful buildings. Remember the seven Emirates? Each Emirate has a palace in Dubai, all in a line on a private island. There is also a palace that was a gift to the Sultan’s wife. They were, of course, all magnificent.

We stopped for about twenty minutes to get some views of the Burj Al Arab. The Burj Al Arab is the oldest of the fantastic buildings here and is a five-star hotel with only suites. Every suite has a butler, and they claim, along with others, to be a seven-star hotel. They added a cantilever to the top containing a bar and restaurant; the top has a helicopter pad. The view from the ocean is the best and what the architects intended. The central hotel looks like the sail of a yacht, and the buildings surrounding it appear like waves. We returned past an airstrip built on the water like a pier. They run skydiving from this strip, and I would love to do some landings on it. The rest of the trip was through the tall buildings surrounding the marinas. Beautiful views of architecture and yachts surround you.

The rest of the trip was pools, drinks, and live music at a nearby hotel. We caught beautiful sunsets and enjoyed the sights. Dubai is very active and crowded. The traffic gets backed up, and the malls and other areas get crowded. The cost of things here is a bit higher as well. It is not an entirely walkable city, so you must rent a car or take taxis. They have a train system, but if you are not close to that line, it does you no good. We found the people friendly everywhere we went, and even in a market, the guys selling merchandise were pleasant. They asked if you wanted to buy something once but did not pressure you afterward. One even talked to me and directed me to the taxi area.

We would recommend Dubai to anyone thinking about it. This city is busy but has many wonders to experience, and we barely scratched the surface. Hopefully, this writing gives some helpful information to choose or prepare for your trip.

Thank you for reading, and enjoy the photos and videos.

Dubai Photos

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