Visiting Dubai
Dubai has fascinated me for many years, and it turned out to be quite different from what I had imagined. I had thought of it as quaint back streets, full of souks, with camels everywhere, and baking hot. In other words that Dubai would be quite old fashioned, and so I got a major surprise when I got there.
Firstly how westernised the airport was, so that although I knew I was in the Middle East, because of the few people dressed in traditional garb, apart from that all international airports are much like each other. It took the lack of bacon at my first breakfast to make me realise I was in an Islamic country.
There are mosques all over the place in Dubai, and the calls to prayer all sound different, but I discovered they all in fact are saying the same things. Praying need not be in a mosque but the first prayer must be carried out before sunrise.
In so far as shopping, visiting banks etc you need to get used to a different way of life. There seems to be quite early opening, then a four hour closure in the middle of the day, followed by opening until quite late in the evening. Local shops in fact open quite late.
I found it quite strange to see a man in traditional arab dress climb into a Mercedes, and ladies covered from head to foot, suddenly uncovering a mobile phone, and speaking on it.
We were visiting the gold souk in the evening, and it got quite late, but we never in any way ever felt threatened, the only problem my wife had were the toilets. She had to use a squatting toilet, the hole in the ground variety, and the smell almost made her vomit. If caught short, find a western hotel seems to be the answer!!
Beware of the heat of the sun, because it is a dry heat it can be a lot hotter than you think, especially around a hotel pool, or walking around, so you must use a high factor sun cream or you will get burned.
You must go on one of the small boats that cross the creek, I think they are called Abra, it is very cheap, and an essential part of any visit to Dubai, or you can rent a boat for half an hour and go up and down the creek. It is one of the must do things in Dubai, as is a visit to The Gold Souk.
If you have never seen literally dozens and dozens of gold shops lining both sides of a street, all apparently selling identical wares, rings, necklaces and bracelets with no prices shown, it all comes as a bit of a shock!!
Prices are utterly dependent on weight, the current price of gold, and your ability to bargain!! Just dont accept the first price whatever you do, and for the European the gold being so pure, at least 18 carat, the color is a bit garish.
You will probably choose a beach hotel, if you are wise, but beware of the amount of building that is going on, both on shore and off shore, and the noise and dust. Some of the hotels arent as isolated as they appear in the brochures!! The hotel beaches are immaculate, and the water amazingly clean and clear, but you do have to go a bit out of town to the likes of the Jumeirah Beach.
Other things to do include The Wild Wadi Water Park, and trips into the desert, and of course the shopping, because prices here are very reasonable compared to home.
In conclusion Dubai is the ideal place to combine a city holiday with a beach holiday, and has pretty guaranteed sunshine. I wouldnt come for two weeks but 8-10 days would be ideal.
Ian Smith writes about hotels and places all over the world, so if you want to know more, then check out:http://www.worldwidevacationspots.com/categories/The-Middle-East/Dubai/Company Houston In Mortgage Texas
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Firstly how westernised the airport was, so that although I knew I was in the Middle East, because of the few people dressed in traditional garb, apart from that all international airports are much like each other. It took the lack of bacon at my first breakfast to make me realise I was in an Islamic country.
There are mosques all over the place in Dubai, and the calls to prayer all sound different, but I discovered they all in fact are saying the same things. Praying need not be in a mosque but the first prayer must be carried out before sunrise.
In so far as shopping, visiting banks etc you need to get used to a different way of life. There seems to be quite early opening, then a four hour closure in the middle of the day, followed by opening until quite late in the evening. Local shops in fact open quite late.
I found it quite strange to see a man in traditional arab dress climb into a Mercedes, and ladies covered from head to foot, suddenly uncovering a mobile phone, and speaking on it.
We were visiting the gold souk in the evening, and it got quite late, but we never in any way ever felt threatened, the only problem my wife had were the toilets. She had to use a squatting toilet, the hole in the ground variety, and the smell almost made her vomit. If caught short, find a western hotel seems to be the answer!!
Beware of the heat of the sun, because it is a dry heat it can be a lot hotter than you think, especially around a hotel pool, or walking around, so you must use a high factor sun cream or you will get burned.
You must go on one of the small boats that cross the creek, I think they are called Abra, it is very cheap, and an essential part of any visit to Dubai, or you can rent a boat for half an hour and go up and down the creek. It is one of the must do things in Dubai, as is a visit to The Gold Souk.
If you have never seen literally dozens and dozens of gold shops lining both sides of a street, all apparently selling identical wares, rings, necklaces and bracelets with no prices shown, it all comes as a bit of a shock!!
Prices are utterly dependent on weight, the current price of gold, and your ability to bargain!! Just dont accept the first price whatever you do, and for the European the gold being so pure, at least 18 carat, the color is a bit garish.
You will probably choose a beach hotel, if you are wise, but beware of the amount of building that is going on, both on shore and off shore, and the noise and dust. Some of the hotels arent as isolated as they appear in the brochures!! The hotel beaches are immaculate, and the water amazingly clean and clear, but you do have to go a bit out of town to the likes of the Jumeirah Beach.
Other things to do include The Wild Wadi Water Park, and trips into the desert, and of course the shopping, because prices here are very reasonable compared to home.
In conclusion Dubai is the ideal place to combine a city holiday with a beach holiday, and has pretty guaranteed sunshine. I wouldnt come for two weeks but 8-10 days would be ideal.
Ian Smith writes about hotels and places all over the world, so if you want to know more, then check out:http://www.worldwidevacationspots.com/categories/The-Middle-East/Dubai/Company Houston In Mortgage Texas
Waterfront Real Estate Lakeland Florida
Hiking
Life15
New Treatment For Depression
Mortgage
Network Card Gigabit
Travel To Tokyo
1 800 Flower Discount
Emergency Medicine Course
1 Affordable California Health Insurance Plan
1 America Career Coach Secret
Tara Bell
Apartment Cheap Diego In San
Tea
Adidas Adiwear Golf Shoes Womens
By New Owner Rental Vacation York
Affiliate Program Directory Game
Cruise Hawaii Honeymoon Package Vacation
Basket Flower Gift Gift
Missouri Farms For Sale
Apartment Find Houston Rental
Affiliate Affiliate Marketing Online Online Programme
2007 2008 Cowboy Nfl Schedule
Club Las Lounge Night Vegas Voodoo
Wallets Collection
Care Health Job Marketing
1 1 Advance Advance Care Care Health Health In In Management Management V Volume
10 Layer Chocolate Cake
University Of Florida Man Basketball Team
Dessert Jessica Perfume Simpson
Christian Personals Farmers Ranchers Cowboys
Real Live Girl
2 Currency Forex Learn Online Trading
Certificate Christmas Free Gift Template
Bird California Hunting In Pheasant
Shopping Center Directory
Credit Online Report Trans Union
Crystal Formation
Help For Severe Depression
Auto Bad Credit Loan Refinancing
Mla Format Citing
Water
Fringed Lamp Victorian
1 Apartment Cat Rent
Change Interval Oil Synthetic
Bikini Fishing In Woman
Optic Coach Wallet
Real1
Bike Dirt Learn Ride
1 Army Bird Dog O Royal Thai
Kid Entertainment In San Diego
Glass Lamp Replacement Shade Table Tulip Victorian
Gardening Gardening Vegetable
Where Can You Find Summer Job Postings
Brand Glasses Man Name Sun
You Letter
Co Fire Hartford Insurance
Ebay Sale Trailer Travel
Furniture
03 Cobra
Cheap Karaoke Music
Disco Duck Rick
1 Astrology Encyclopedia Medical Part
Topo Maps Usgs
Cargo Box Pickup Truck
Super 8 Motel Pittsburgh
1 Law Order Season Svu
Aircraft Valuation
Degree Massage Online Therapy
Nissan 180
Kick Boxing Workout And Dvd
Formal Holiday Dress
Hockey School Toronto
Acne Care Skin Tip Treatment
Lian Li Pc65
Fishing London
New Smyrna New Car Price
1 16 Farm Scale Toy
Cosmetic Dentist In Atlanta
Guide Money Paper Price
1 Application Cosmetic Cosmetic Dermatology Dermatology Dvd In In Laser Light Medical Pigmentation Procedure Procedure Scar Series Textbook Vascular Volume
Ticketing
1 Com Internet Marketing Solution Stop
That Fish Place That Pet Place
Myrtle Beach Bike Week October
Gardening
07 Escalade
0 Finance On New Cars
Inphase Technologies
Marijuana Penalties
Treatment For Psychotic Depression
Business Law Washington
Carpet Shampooer
1 Day Design Spa
1979 F150 Ford Part Truck
How To Deal With Job Stress
Banner Custom Maker Myspace
05 Accord
06 Cup Soccer World
06 Jersey Shore
Real9
Focus In Meditation Posture Sequence Yoga
Massage
04 Beach California Rental Vacation
Famous Jeweler Jewelry Store
Targeted Mlm Lead
Australian Recipes
Japanese Friendship Garden San Jose
Cable Provider Service Television
Cappuccino Coffee Machine Mr
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