5-day trip to Dubai (United Arab Emirates)
Visiting Arabian Dhown, Al Fahidi Fort, Ancient Souq, Deira Gold Souq, Deira Spice Souq, Burj Al Arab, Souq Madinat Jumeirah, The Walk at Jumeirah Beach Residence (JBR), New Dubai, Dubai Marina, Atlantis Hotel the Palm, Wafi Mall, The Dubai Mall, Dubai Aquarium, Burj Khalifa, Dancing Fountains, Mall of the Emirates, Ski Dubai.
Old Dubai, Creek Walk, Arabian Dhow River Cruise
We arrived in Dubai after midnight, so it was only the next day that we began to get in touch with the city.
Staying in Dubai Marina district, we crossed the entire city in an alternation of arid and sandy areas and areas of neighbourhoods full of modern and nice skyscrapers.
We arrived in the heart of old Dubai and we took a typical boat with which we sailed the Dubai Creek, the channel that divides the old city in two parts.
Arabian Dhow River Cruise
DubaiHistoric district of Bastakiya, Al Fahidi Fort, Museum of Dubai and the souq: Bur Dubai, Deira Gold and Deira Spice
Al Fahidi Fort
DubaiWe visited the most characteristic “souq” (marketplace): the Bur Dubai Souq, the oldest, the Deira Gold Souq, the most famous and the Deira Spice Souq, the strangest.
The most interesting is the Gold one, while the other two have lost their original features.
Gold Souk
DubaiBurj al Arab, luxury sail-shaped hotel
The luxury hotel Burj Al Arab, sail-shaped, stands on an artificial island (from afar it seems to lay on the sea).
Our attempts to visit (at least) the fabulous and huge entrance covered with 1.600 square meters of gold leaves were vain. I show it with a brief photo-gallery, but it is also photographed from the helicopter – see below.
Burj Al Arab
DubaiTowards Souk Madinat Jumeirah, complex with bridges and channels (like in Venice) sailed with the typical boat, “abra”
Souk Madinat Jumeirah
Dubai
Souk Madinat Jumeirah
Dubai
Souk Madinat Jumeirah
DubaiNight tour to admire the enlighted Dubai
With an open-top tour bus we enjoyed the night tour of Dubai in order to admire the skyscrapers lit with play of lights that the photos cannot fully illustrate (because almost always shot in motion).
Illuminated city
DubaiLarge palm-shaped island with a huge and original Hotel, the Atlantis The Palm
It was almost completed a large palm-shaped island (see helicopter) at whose end there is a huge Hotel with a very original shape, Atlantis, the Palm, with more than two thousand rooms.
Atlantis The Palm
DubaiCity view from the helicopter
The long-awaited (and expensive) helicopter trip over Dubai was disappointing for the unsatisfactory result of the pictures taken. The shots were disturbed not only by the window reflection but also by the sea water evaporation effect and the wind that raised the desert sand.
I present only few pictures so that my readers can enjoy the effect of watching the skyscrapers…from above.
View from the helicopter
Dubai
View from the helicopter
Dubai
View from the helicopter
DubaiWafi Mall, Shopping Mall on Egyptian-style. In the basement Khan Murjan Souq
The Wafi Mall is a Shopping Mall built on Egyptian-style and is next to a pyramid -shaped hotel.
Wafi Mall
DubaiInside there are many shops and restaurants as well as world-famous designer boutiques.
It is very interesting, in the basement, the Khan Murjan Souq, with Arabic-style stores and restaurants.
Khan Murjan Souq
DubaiDubai Mall, the world biggest shopping mall
The Dubai Mall is the largest mall in the world with more than 1.200 shops and 160 restaurants.
The Dubai Mall
Dubai
The Dubai Mall
DubaiDubai Mall: the Aquarium (on three floors with a single viewing panel…the largest in the world)
Inside the Dubai Mall, there is an Aquarium positioned on three floors with a single viewing panel…the largest in the world.
It also includes a spectacularly beautiful ”Under Water Zoo” where we could admire several species of rare aquatic animals.
Aquarium
DubaiAt sunset, magic athmosphere on the shore of the artificial lake of Dubai Mall, nearby the Burj Khalifa skyscraper
With the sun setting and the lights of the bright decorations, the atmosphere became magic.
Artificial lake
DubaiBuri Khalifa, the world highest skyscraper (828 mt)
The Burj Khalifa, with its 828 meters of height is, for the moment, the tallest skyscraper in the world. However, maybe because the Burj Khalifa is not near to so important buildings as it is, we had not the perception of such a height.
We climbed up to the 124th floor, vantage point from which we could admire very beautiful night views.
Burj Khalifa
DubaiMall of The Emirates, another shopping mall
Another important shopping centre is the Mall of the Emirates.
It is cosier than the Dubai Mall, with an older architecture, but it also has numerous shops, even high-fashioned ones, restaurants, a toy store on two floors, and…
Mall of The Emirates
DubaiSky resort inside the Mall of The Emirates
…and in the southern part of the complex we entered…an indoor ski resort.
Being fond of skiing, I could not fail to try to ski…in the middle of the desert (30 degrees outside and less 3 degrees inside). The ski resort has been carefully built, you can ski on good snow, on an ice – average slope which is not a short one. An experience which cannot be missed.
Sky resort
DubaiAt dawn by taxi towards the airport
Our stay in Dubai came to an end. We left the hotel shortly after dawn and that allowed us to take the last photos of that city. Dubai is a city spread over vast areas which will become the place where everybody will overwinter if the intentions of the authorities of local business come true.
Towards the airport
Dubai
Towards the airport
Dubai
Ignazio MarconiMy name is Ignazio and my motto is Travellingforever
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