Monday 10 Jun 2013 - Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Mums email =

We had a nice warm day in Dubai. Temperature the two days before was 42'c and 43'c, today we only had 37'c, much preferred by all. It was slightly overcast and very hazy.

We had a much better bus this time, a 2012 model from China and no hills to climb. Dubai is quite flat and mostly sandy. They are planting palm trees and flowers with drip irrigation, some places are nice and green. Our first stop was the Jumeira Mosque, a beautiful building. We only stopped for 5 minutes for photos. Then we went on to the beach where we could view the Burj Al Arab Hotel 321 meters tall and built like a sail.

After negotiating the traffic on the motorway we stopped at the Burj Khalifa, 828meters with 160 levels. The Observation platform is on level 124, it took the lift 58 seconds to reach it. Amazing views from there, other tall buildings look small. We could also see the racecourse, a desert version, covered in sand from end to end. As part of the Khalifa there were apartments and bungalows with water features and canals. Quite amazing what they have done in a few years. We also had a look at the mall under the Burj Khalifa. All sorts of wonderful boutiques, not inexpensive I think. After we were taken to Dubai Mall and had a walk through for kilometers I think. It is on 3 levels and has many exclusive boutiques. Tommy Hilfinger, Dior, Balenciaga, and many more. Beautiful to watch, but I was only looking.

I was nice to get back on board into the relative cool of the ship. I went to my cabin for a lay down, my feet tried to tell me they were tired. Not sure how many km we covered in the Dubai Mall in particular.

 

Jumeira Mosque

 

Dubai Trade Centre

 

Burj Khalifa

 

a view from the top

 

Leaving Dubai

 

Day Trip =
At The Top, Burj Khalifa - World's Tallest Building

There's nowhere on earth quite like Dubai. It offers the international visitor an intriguing mix of the old and the new, blending religion with consumerism, and modern architecture with ancient design. This exhilarating half-day narrated tour of the city is a wonderful introduction to this Middle Eastern potpourri, starting with a warm welcome from your guide and driver at Port Rashid.

 

Your first photo opportunity will be at the outstanding Jumeirah Mosque, one of the most photographed sites in Dubai, and a splendid example of Middle Eastern architecture. It is one of the few mosques in the UAE that is open to non-Muslims, and features baroque towers, minarets and an impressive dome. You will then head to the stunning Burj Al Arab Hotel, which is built in the shape of a towering sail and surely a sight to remember. This magnificent structure, which sits on a man-made island, is the tallest all-suite hotel over water at 321 meter high, and simply oozes opulence, luxury and breathtaking beauty. From here, you will continue your drive along the palm tree-lined roads to the wonderful Mall of the Emirates, home to Ski Dubai, the first indoor ski resort in the Middle East. This extraordinary complex offers an amazing setting for year-round skiing, snowboarding and tobogganing. Buoyed by the activity on offer here, you will then have a chance to get your adrenaline pumping with a visit to the Burj Khalifa, the tallest building in the world at 2,680 feet. Here, you will take a high speed elevator to the observation deck on level 124, where floor-to ceiling glass walls provide breathtaking panoramic views of the city, desert and ocean sprawled beneath. Not for the faint-hearted, it is an experience not to be missed. After you have caught your breath, you may have some free time to wander through the magnificent Dubai Mall, to shop for gifts and souvenirs, before heading back to Port Rashid with a new perspective on Dubai etched in your mind forever.

 this pic from google images