DUBAI
Wednesday 30th September and we arrived at Dubai approx midnight, met our shuttle bus contact for transport to our hotel. Our room is very spacious and comfortable and we had a reasonable nights sleep.
Thursday 1 October – Off just across the road to visit Deira Mall (at least three times as big as Belconnen Mall) and check out where to pick up the Big Bus Friday. Bought food for breakfast and lunch back to hotel. The temp is 32*C, a dry heat but it is still great to get into aircon. After lunch decided to take Metro to Gold Souk and Spice Souk. The Gold Souk s an amazing place – a street with alley ways selling gold and some silver. The gold is sold at current value with no added cost for making into jewellery, only 18 and 22 carat sold. You wonder who would wear some of the elaborate pieces we saw, they were big, chunky and very elaborate. We visited quite a few shops but not tempted to buy. On the way to the train we visited a Heritage House, built around 1890 but only restored in the last 20 years. Shows life in a merchant house of the time. Tonight we had an Indian meal in the food court of the mall. Very good.
Friday 2nd October – major attractions closed this morning some not opening until 4pm., being the Islamic religious day. So we caught the Big Bus and visited other areas. Visited Dubai Mall and saw their indoor waterfall (below) and skating rink among hundreds of shops and various forms of entertainment. Next door is the Burj Khalfa Tower, the tallest in the world. We took a dhow cruise from the marina, then onto Palm Island t to visit the Atlantis Aquarium in the Atlantis the Palm Hotel (below). Amazing the amount of land that has been reclaimed and construction going on in the city. The architecture is very innovative and varied. Then to the Mall of Emirates where the indoor ski slope is housed – 80 AED (about $35) for 2 hours includes clothing and equipment. Slope is only 400 m. and designed for beginners. A four-seat chair takes you back up the slope. There is also a short toboggan slope. The photo seems to to make it look more impressive than it is. We decided just to watch. Dinner at a Lebanese Rest in Hall of Emirates (overlooking the indoor ski slope) before getting the metro back to hotel.
Saturday 3rd October – Our last day in Dubai. Decided to take metro to Dubai museum as bus would take 2 hours on its circuit. Very hot and humid today – has to be 36*. Dubai Museum fabulous. We spent almost 2 hours there with lots of people from tour groups but we took our time. Bus then to Heritage Village and Shindagha Museum which houses documents, coins and family photographs of the royal family. Only short time there so we could catch the bus for a second Dhow cruise, this time on the historic Dubai Creek. It was restful, out of heat. Always an advantage to see a city from the water. Lots of freight dhows which sail as far as India and South Africa. Bus back to Deira Centre to cool down, coffee before walking to hotel. Tonight doing a night tour of lights and a walk through a C14th area of the city.
6.15am pickup tomorrow morning for our flight home. A great few days in Dubai.
The end of a great holiday.
